Tension gauge for checkrow wires



J. D. O'BRIEN 4 TENSION GAUGE FbR cnacxnow WIRES Feb. 9 1926.

Filed June 4, 1925 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

MIAH D; mns t. ienwt a Minnesota,

zrnnsrouenuen non cnnoxnow w nne Application filed June 4, 1925. Serial No. 34,919.

To aZZ whamit may concern:

Be it known that '1 Jnmrn ri D; OBRIEN, a citizen of the United/States, residing at Darwin, in the county .of' Meeker and State of Minnesota, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in TensionGaugcs for Checkrow lVires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device,lserving to permit the tensionon a check'row wire of, a corn plantingmachine to be accurately gauged,

The primary object is to provide a device of this kind which is such as to enable the user to ascertain approximately the number of pounds of pull placed upon the check row wire and to permit approximately the same pull tobe obtained day,a'ft er day or every time the corn planter is brought into use.

Briefly, the invention comprises a frame adapted tobe anchored in the ground by a driven stake, a pivotally mounted counterbalance carried by the frame, a sliding .rod having means to permit the check row wire to be connected ,thereto, this rod bearing against and exerti nga thrust upon the pivoted end of. the.counterbalance forraising it after a predetermined degree of. ,pull has been placed upon the wire, together with means for setting the slide rod. The particular features and advantages derived from this construction and arrangement of parts will become apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the same.

Figure 3 is a cross section, taken approximately upon the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is likewise a cross section, the same being taken approximately upon the plane of the line 44 of lilgure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the aforesaid frame comprises a pair of spaced angle bars 1, connected together at their ends by cross bars 2. Arranged between the side bars 1, at a point between the ends is a base plate 3,

servingto increase the rigidity of structure, and another advantage will be apparent later. At oneend of the frame; is an extension i,having an opening 5 to permit a stake 6 to bedr-i 'en therethroughas indicated in Figure 2 for anchoring the frame. At the opposite end is an upstanding apertured guide bracket 7.- Spaced from the bracket and fastened to the plate 3 is a complemental apertured bracket 8. The slide rod 9, which is preferably polygonalin cross section is slidable through the apertures in the two brackets. This rod isprovided, at, its outer end with a pivotally mounted hook 10, with which the enlargements on the check row wire 11 are selectivelyem gaged. On the opposite end oftherod is a loosely mounted pulley 12. A cable 13 is anchored at one end,=as at 14, to the frame, and is trained over this pulley and the free end portion thereof is provided with a link chain 15, the links of which are adapted to be selectively engaged with a retaining hook 16. The aforesaid counterbalance is generally represented by the reference charactor 17, and this comprises a pair of spaced parallel arms 18, the fr'eeends of which are connected, with a, U-shaped I member 19, carrying a counterbala'ncing weight 20., At their opposite ends, the arms are fastened to a thrust plate 21 pivotedupona cross rod 22, carried by the relatively stationary frame. The thrust plate is formed with an elongated slot, and the slide rod 10 is provided with a cross pin 23, adapted to bear against the plate to exert a pull in a direction and manner to rock the counterbalance upon its pivot and to raise the weight as indicated approximately in Figure 2. It is yet to be pointed out that an appropriate handle 24 is fixedly secured to the central portion of the frame and overlies the central portion of the counterbalance and functions additionally as a stop for limiting the upward swing of the last named device.

In practice, the hook 10 is selectively engaged with one of the balls or enlargements on the check row wire 11. Now the handle 24 is grasped and the entire device is pulled bodily in a direction to stretch the Wire 11. Vhen a pull of approximately thirty-five pounds or more is reached, the check row wire will have been stretched sufficiently taut and owing to the thrust exerted against the plate 21 by the cross pin 23, when this degree of pull has been reached, it will serve to overbalanee the counterbalance device 17 and rock it upon its pivot to elevate the weight 20. This will serve to indicate a desirable degree of pull upon the check row wire and will place it under a desirable tension. With the wire thus stretched and the counterbalance device raised in this way, the stake 6 is driven and the device is anchored in place, maintaining the check row wire under a desirable .tension. At this time, one of the links of the chain 15 may be engaged with the hooks 16, so as tohold the slide rod 9 in a set position and by engaging the'links of the chains in the same way each time, approximately the same tension may be attained.

No. doubt persons familiar with check row wire corn planters will'be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be und-erstoodthat minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to, if desired.

hat is claimed is:

1. A tension regulator and gaugefor check row wires comprising a. frame adapted to be anchored in the ground, a pivotally mounted counterbalance carried by said frame, and means for exerting anendwise thrust upon said counterbalance for actuating it, said meansbeing adapted for connection with the check row wire.

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame, spaced guide brackets on said frame, a rod slidable through said brackets, a liook carried by the outer end of said rod adapted to be engaged with a check row wire, a pivotally mounted counterbalance carried by said frame, said counterbalance embodying a thrust plate and an abutment carried by said rod and adapted to bear against said thrust plate.

3. A device of the class described comprising a frame, spaced guide brackets on said frame, a rod slidable through said brackets, a hook carried by the outer end of said rod adapted to be engaged with a check row wire, a pivotally mounted counterbalance carried by said frame, said counterbalance embodying a thrust plate and an abutment carried by said rod and adapted to bear against said thrust plate, and a pulley on the opposite end of said rod, and a flexible element connected with said frame and trained over said pulley.

4. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a pair of guide brackets carried by said frame, a rod slidable in said brackets, a hook on the outer end of said rod, a pulley on the opposite end of the rod, a flexible element connected at one end with said frame trained over said pulley and having its opposite end adapted for adjustable connection with a part of said frame, a counterbalance device pivotally connected with said frame at a point between said brackets, said device embodying a. weight, and a thrust plate, said thrust plate having an opening disposed eccentrically with respeet to the pivot, said rod passing through said opening, and an abutment on said rod adapted to bear against said plate.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature;

JERMIAH D. OBRIEN. 

